The calculations of modern computers are most often used in business in the form of a printed record or "printout" generated by an electronic printer connected to the computer. When the computer is used for a variety of purposes, e.g. creating order forms, invoices, etc., the paper supply for each purpose may be tailored to the particular purpose. In such a case, different supplies of paper must be feed to the printer when the computer is generating different printouts.
Since the purposes for which a computer is used may change a number of times during the day, it is most convenient to store the different supplies of paper in close proximity to the printer, e.g. on shelves of a stand that supports the printer. When a change in the paper supply is needed, the paper in the printer is separated from the continuous supply along perforations typically provided at page intervals along the length of the paper. The separated end of this supply is then secured near the printer where it can be easily located for future use. Then the carriage is advanced manually or under power so that the remaining portion of paper is expelled from the printer. Next, the end of the desired paper supply is located, perhaps in a retainer similar to the one where the end of the other supply was positioned. The end of the new supply is then fed into the printer by advancing the carriage again.
Various devices are known from the prior art for assuring that the paper from the various sources is guided or tracked to the printer from its storage location, and the ends of unused paper supplies are maintained in positions that make them readily available for future use. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,256 of Palmer discloses a loading rack for feeding multiple supplies of paper or other recording material to a business machine. The rack includes adjustable wire platforms for holding the separate supplies of paper and permitting any supply of paper to be fed to the business machine from its platform without any interference with the other paper supplies. However, no means are provided for holding the ends of unused supplies of paper.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,904,332 of Metzner discloses a strip feeding and separating apparatus for separating carbon paper strips from manifold recording material. The apparatus includes a slanted top portion having a plurality of horizontal chutes defined by downwardly inclined deflector plates. The ends of individual ones of a plurality of the plates protrude through each one of the chutes, respectively. Each one of these plates is directed downwardly at an acute angle, and is bent upward at its lower end to form a shelf for holding an associated strip that is being fed along the plate to the shelf from the associated open chute. Only alternate ones of the plates are associated with a shelf for holding recording paper separated from a carbon strip. Between each one of these first plates there are other plates for guiding separated carbon strips to a take-up roller located at the bottom of the mechanism.
Marker U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,490 discloses a stand for a computer printer including shelves for supporting a plurality of containers holding sheet or web stock printing paper. A horizontal platform at the top of the stand includes a frontal portion for holding the computer printer. Series of elongated horizontal slots are provided with successively higher vertical partitions between the slots. The web in use is fed through a given one of the slots into the printer, but the webs not in use are fed through individual ones of the slots and folded over an associated one of the vertical partitions to keep the ends of the unused webs in close proximity to the printer feed port.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,196 of Burgert there is disclosed a stand for a computer printer incorporating shelves for holding a plurality of continuous forms. The top platform has an area for holding the printer and a frame with a plurality of juxtaposed guide slots through which the ends of the paper webs are fed to the printer. A guide shaft is mounted in each one of the slots. These guide shafts are each mounted eccentrically so the weight of the shaft causes it to rest against a wall of its associated guide slot. The paper webs are located between each shaft and its associated the well so it is held by the force of gravity with a pressure that permits the web in use to be drawn through the guide slot as demanded by the printer. The shaft also provides sufficient pressure to hold the end of any of the unused webs above the top platform for easy access.
While the prior devices accomplish the intended purpose, they either fail to clamp the ends of the papers with sufficient reliability to assure it is always available or clamp it so securely that rapid withdrawal of the paper for high speed printing is inhibited.